Cold and frosty morning 'no bother' for hundreds of hardy Parkrunners

Niall Hanley (top) turned out for the Parkrun with his twins Luca and Rhys

Ciara Drew (12) with dog Pepper, Donal Gilman and Eleanor Kennedy

Andy Nason with son Adam (13) and daughter Moya (8)

More than 300 determined runners braved the freezing temperatures at the weekend's Parkrun in Celbridge.

Niall Hanley (35), from Maynooth, said completing his first Parkrun in frosty conditions at Castletown House in Co Kildare, made him even more keen for it to "become more of a weekly thing".

His three-year-old twin boys, Luca and Rhys, turned out to cheer on their dad as he ran in the below zero temperatures.

"It was our first time doing it, but it was great to go out and do a bit of running," he said.

"The hands were dead during the first two kilometres, but after that it was great. The kids were grand, even after I had run off at the start, but maybe next we'll throw them in the buggies and bring them around next time."

Involved

"I've done a half Ironman competition before in Dublin, but this was great to blow off the cobwebs coming into the new year and I think I'll try to get my wife involved in future," he added.

Eleanor praised "the wide range of people" she meets on the run every week.

"I started doing it after hearing about it on Operation Transformation and have been involved ever since. It's just a new lease of life, and afterwards you can meet people for coffee. Every week, I see somebody new from my estate," she said.

Originally from Tipperary and now living in Celbridge, Eleanor also did a stint marshalling the event last summer due to an ankle injury, but said she's back in action now.

"I had a problem with a tendon in my ankle, so couldn't walk the event, but it was a good opportunity to do some marshalling instead," she said.

Despite the brisk weather on Saturday, Eleanor said doing the Parkrun in the cold weather was "no bother" to her.

The 5km run takes place every Saturday at 9.30am and is free to enter, but pre-registration is needed online.